LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Mass extinction

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=249

Provider: American Association for the Advancement of Science

About this resource

Appropriate grades
6–8
Subjects
science (environmental science)
Provider
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Legal

Creative Commons License

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In this Science Update, students explore evidence that suggests a massive volcanic eruption occurred 250 million years ago, wiping out most of life on earth. Science NetLinks provides a link to the audio file, a written transcript, and questions that engage students in a discussion about one of the largest lava eruptions in the history of the earth that occurred in Siberia. Students evaluate the presence of physical evidence that suggests a volcano eruption and not an asteroid was the cause of mass extinction on land and in the ocean. This lesson plan also provides links to the University of Bristol’s Paleontology Research Group and the University of North Dakota’s “Volcano World”.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 6

  • Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
    • Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
      • Communicate findings.
      • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
      • Research.
      • Gather and analyze data
      • Visualize data.
      • Disseminate findings to others.
    • Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
      • Scientific text.
      • Articles.
      • Events in the popular press.
  • Goal 7: The learner will conduct investigations and use technologies and information systems to build an understanding of population dynamics.
    • Objective 7.03: Explain how changes in habitat may affect organisms.
    • Objective 7.06: Investigate processes which, operating over long periods of time, have resulted in the diversity of plant and animal life present today:
      • Natural selection.
      • Adaptation.

Grade 7

  • Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
    • Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
      • Communicate findings.
      • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
      • Research.
      • Gather and analyze data.
      • Visualize data.
      • Disseminate findings to others.
    • Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
      • Scientific text.
      • Articles.
      • Events in the popular press.

Grade 8

  • Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
      • explain observations.
      • make inferences and predictions.
      • develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
    • Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
      • Communicate findings.
      • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
      • Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.
    • Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
      • Research.
      • Gather and analyze data.
      • Visualize data.
      • Disseminate findings to others.
    • Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
      • Scientific text.
      • Articles.
      • Events in the popular press.
  • Goal 5: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.
    • Objective 5.01: Interpret ways in which rocks, fossils, and ice cores record Earth's geologic history and the evolution of life including:
      • Geologic Time Scale.
      • Index Fossils.
      • Law of Superposition.
      • Unconformity.
      • Evidence for climate change.
      • Extinction of species.
      • Catastrophic events.
    • Objective 5.02: Correlate evolutionary theories and processes:
      • Biological.
      • Geological.
      • Technological.
    • Objective 5.03: Examine evidence that the geologic evolution has had significant global impact including:
      • Distribution of living things.
      • Major geological events.
      • Mechanical and chemical weathering.